Welcome to Mid Wales & The Brecon Beacons


21 The day the Doctor came to Brecon Cathedral


BACK in September of 2009, Brecon Cathedral was buzzing with excitement when the nation’s favourite TV show decided to use the 11th century building as a location for a film shoot.


Now that the new series of Dr Who has started on BBC One, we’ll be glued to the new Doctor played by Matt Smith, and his sidekick Karen Gillan who plays Amy Pond, in every episode, waiting to spot a Brecon Beacon or a Cathedral scene.


On the day of filming, verger of Brecon Cathedral David Walker told The Brecon & Radnor Express: “I only heard they were coming to film here yesterday. I’ve had my picture taken with Matt and he seems a very nice chap. Myself and the Dean both had our pictures taken coming out of the TARDIS.”


Security around the filming was tight but The Brecon &


The day that Dr Who came to Brecon Cathedral


Radnor Express managed to get into the closed set - with the aid of a B&R sonic screwdriver.


Dr Who’s TARDIS (Time And Relative Distance In Space) had found a new home in the north aisle and the Cathedral had been transformed into what they crew were calling ‘The Museum of Artifacts’. Glass cabinets ran the length of the Cathedral displaying space age items fresh from the BBC props department. The scene being shot featured Dr Who in the presbytery of the Cathedral examining artifacts in one of the display cases.


The BBC’s search for a suitable cathedral to stand-in for a futuristic museum in the new series went via Gloucester Cathedral and Llandaff Cathedral before deciding on Brecon Cathedral because it has seating that can be removed.


Dean Geoffrey Marshall told The Brecon & Radnor Express: “Seating in cathedrals is a relatively new thing. A hundred years ago it would have been an empty space where everybody came for a variety of different uses - even markets. We have seats not pews so they could be taken out quite easily to create a huge space. We only had 24 hours notice but we stayed open to the public during the day and had three services.”


During breaks in filming the new stars of Dr Who still had time to pose for photos with Cathedral staff and sign autographs.


Dean Geoffrey added: “Both Dr Who and his assistant signed the visitors book. Karen Gillan said that she was made to feel very welcome and put her address down as the TARDIS.


Brecon Cathedral


Apart from Brecon Cathedral’s new found fame as a Dr Who location, it’s also an essential place to visit on a Brecon Beacons trip. Don’t forget to call into the Heritage Centre which was


created from a derelict 17th century Tithe Barn.


And once you’ve bought your souvenirs, rest for a while with a cup of coffee and something to eat at Pilgrims Tearooms next door - winner of culinary prizes and open for coffee at 10am, lunches from noon and for afternoon tea.


Up and coming events at Brecon Cathedral for 2010: Rock Nite on May 1, Open Day on May 31, Youth Orchestra and Seattle Choir on July 4, Brecon Jazz on August 6-8, the Small Picture Show on October 1 and the Brecon Baroque on October 22.


The TARDIS was parked inside    


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 


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


For more info call Brecon


Cathedral on 01874 623 857 or go to www.brec oncathedral.org.uk.


 


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 


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